"Blood & Ashes" - AVAILABLE on Amazon.co.uk

Loeffelholz

Napoleon Plural wrote:

Bollocks. Once rated an expert marksman.... Rephrase man.

Fair enough...Daren, make a note of this! Strike the word "once"

Napoleon Plural wrote:

Am pissed, someon'es leaving do today. Pm me Loeffs and resons will biring a msile to ou r face.

That's easy for you to say. Multiple Vespers?

Loeffelholz

All right, everyone...here's the cover art for Blood & Ashes---made public for the first time on ajb007.co.uk...


By loeffelholz at 2010-03-10

Cover Art Copyright 2010 by Daren Hatfield, used by permission. All rights reserved.

Pendragon

that, right there, *points up* is a killer cover.

can't wait to have this beaut on my shelf/in my school pack.

thesecretagent

That's a really great cover, Leoff. Certainly suits the genre/period. I can't wait to get hold of one. Although after all your promotional efforts on this site - it had better be good!

7289

Why a Colt Banker's Special on the cover.....thought Oscar was a S&W Man?

mrbond

I don't know why the Hollywood producers haven't approached you with a movie yet!

Napoleon Plural

It being set in the 1940s, there's sadly no scope for cell phones in it. The only reason Casino Royale went ahead is because they struck a deal so that cell phones would feature prominently.

Any chance of a last-minute rewrite, Loeffs? Set it in present day, before the 9/11 attacks?

Sir Miles

That's a nice cover...well done Daren -{

Looking forward to reading this

Loeffelholz

7289 wrote:

Why a Colt Banker's Special on the cover.....thought Oscar was a S&W Man?

He is...but this was a great B&W illustration, from a stock photo website...and it was cheap! Daren's thing with the ampersand was a stroke of genius, IMHO B-)

Barbel

Loeffelholz wrote:

Daren's thing with the ampersand was a stroke of genius, IMHO B-)

Yup, loved that- love the whole thing, actaully! Richard Chopping* eat your heart out...

*(Sadly died a couple of years ago)

darenhat

Richard Chopping! You flatter me! Well, I'm glad so many like the cover - I certainly want it to please. I truly hope that readers will look at the art and think 'Oscar Jade' or 'Mark Loeffelholz'. Loeffs has put together an incredible novel, and I'm anxious to for everyone to see/read the final product. It's a bit unfair to Loeff that everyone sees what I've contributed and Mark not able to share the best part with everybody yet!

Loeffelholz

-{ , my friend. This is all part of the deal...right now, your excellent work is the ultimate 'teaser trailer' for mine...and I aim to try to do yours justice.

There's nothing like the collaborative process, which I love...and I've been most fortunate to be surrounded by incredibly talented and generous people---nobody does something like this alone (if they think they do, they're kidding themselves!). RogueAgent's a part of this as well, as is my brother...and my editor, Erin, who continues to save my ass :007)

Loeffelholz

thesecretagent wrote:

it had better be good!

Thanks for saying so, tsa...I'm certainly trying...though I have no illusions about not catching a few arrows after it comes out. For my proactive response to those, refer to the Fleming quote in my signature

thesecretagent

Loeffelholz wrote:

thesecretagent wrote:

it had better be good!

Thanks for saying so, tsa...I'm certainly trying...though I have no illusions about not catching a few arrows after it comes out. For my proactive response to those, refer to the Fleming quote in my signature

Craig's is better - and the best attitude to take.

Barbel

I am so looking forward to this!

Loeffelholz

Loeffelholz wrote:

All right, everyone...here's the cover art for Blood & Ashes---made public for the first time on ajb007.co.uk...


By loeffelholz at 2010-03-10

Cover Art Copyright 2010 by Daren Hatfield, used by permission. All rights reserved.

Bumping this to the current page, simply because I like looking at it...

Loeffelholz

Well, the book's had its final edit---except for the last three chapters (!), which I'm waiting for my editor to send me It's amazing what a few changed words and sentences (to say nothing of the odd deleted em-dash or semicolon) can do to the material. I'm very happy with it so far...

Hardyboy

Nice work on the art by the Hat-man! And glad to hear things are progressing, Loeffs--I'm looking forward to it!

Red Indian

Wow! Great work Daren! {[]

Loeffs: Congratulations! This looks and sounds fantastic! I can't wait to read it!

Please tell me those of us on the forum will be able to buy an autographed copy!

Being a huge fan of detective fiction this is GREAT news. While pursuing my Literature degree at Northeastern I took an amazing class: "Detective Fiction."

My Professor was good friends with the recently departed Robert B. Parker (he taught at Northeastern while he was writing his first Spenser novel) and he dropped in one day to teach one of our classes!

It was an amazing experience and I look forward to to placing my autographed copy (fingers crossed!) of "Blood and Ashes" next to my autographed copy of Parker's "Double Deuce."

The space on my bookshelf has been reserved!

Perhaps one day a wide-eyed college student will catch his breath (just as I did) when you casually walk into a classroom to tell everyone how it's done! {[]

On a different note, you've really struck a chord with me because of the setting:

I have a treasured picture of my Grandfather (taken by my Grandmother) in his Army Air Corps uniform as he's sitting on a bench in Miami Beach in 1942! They are no longer with me but I am incredibly excited to be able to experience what it might have been like there for them...on some level!

I suppose fate is tipping his cap to me once again and I am grateful!

Loeffelholz

Red Indian wrote:

Wow! Great work Daren! {[]

Loeffs: Congratulations! This looks and sounds fantastic! I can't wait to read it!

Please tell me those of us on the forum will be able to buy an autographed copy!

Thanks so much, Red...and you're right about Daren's work. My pulse quickens whenever I look at it Indeed, signed copies will be available from oscarjade.com...and I'll respond to PMs here as well.

Red Indian wrote:

Being a huge fan of detective fiction this is GREAT news. While pursuing my Literature degree at Northeastern I took an amazing class: "Detective Fiction."

My Professor was good friends with the recently departed Robert B. Parker (he taught at Northeastern while he was writing his first Spenser novel) and he dropped in one day to teach one of our classes!

It was an amazing experience and I look forward to to placing my autographed copy (fingers crossed!) of "Blood and Ashes" next to my autographed copy of Parker's "Double Deuce."

The space on my bookshelf has been reserved!

Perhaps one day a wide-eyed college student will catch his breath (just as I did) when you casually walk into a classroom to tell everyone how it's done! {[]

I'm humbled beyond my ability to state it. If I can accomplish a mere fraction of what the great Mr. Parker did, I'll be very happy indeed. There have been so many giants in this genre...someday I'd like a chance to be good enough to shine their shoes.

Red Indian wrote:

On a different note, you've really struck a chord with me because of the setting:

I have a treasured picture of my Grandfather (taken by my Grandmother) in his Army Air Corps uniform as he's sitting on a bench in Miami Beach in 1942! They are no longer with me but I am incredibly excited to be able to experience what it might have been like there for them...on some level!

I suppose fate is tipping his cap to me once again and I am grateful!

It seemed a rich time and place in which to put a gumshoe...I aim to have as much fun there as I can. I wouldn't be surprised if Jade and Clark Gable end up side by side at a bar in the next one (he trained with the Army in Miami Beach)...

Red Indian

Don't rule anything out! B-)

I'm looking forward to taking a trip to the Miami Beach/South Beach area in the near future. That's the one part of Florida I haven't spent a substantial amount of time in!

Is there any chance Oscar might head to Key West in one of your next novels? Maybe he could rub elbows with Hemingway?

Wasn't this around the time he had the boxing ring in his backyard?

Loeffelholz

Red Indian wrote:

Is there any chance Oscar might head to Key West in one of your next novels? Maybe he could rub elbows with Hemingway?

I'm sure he'll get there at some point! Eventually he'll travel to other states/regions as well---he's going to be a terrible flyer. I want to do something with the old Pullman train cars as well B-)

I think Jade is always going to surprise me...I just found a great quote, and it definitely applies here:

"It begins with a character, usually, and once he stands up on his feet and begins to move, all I can do is trot along behind him with a paper and pencil trying to keep up long enough to put down what he says and does." - William Faulkner

At least Jade isn't hard to keep up with---he has a limp

Mr Martini

So Loeff? Do you have Oscars second adventure already planned out?

Loeffelholz

Mr Martini wrote:

So Loeff? Do you have Oscars second adventure already planned out?

The basic story---yes. I'm going to start outlining it while I promote B&A...and will be composing by summertime

I've got the first line, which I'll preview here:

"There is a terrible wisdom in the eyes of the dead."

-{

Red Indian

Great opening line! Fleming would have loved that!

Will the reader discover in "Blood and Ashes" how he got his limp?

Do you reveal any of his background in the debut, or will that come to light as the stories progress?

Pendragon

love that line!

mrbond

I think it would be intresting to see him progress as a character throughout the novels. Each could reveal something about his past?

Loeffelholz

Red Indian wrote:

Great opening line! Fleming would have loved that!

Thanks {[] Fleming is probably a bigger influence on me than the usual suspects (Spillane, Chandler, Hammett, et al.), since I read him first (at a very young age). That's actually why I write Jade in 'third' person instead of 'first,' which is more standard for the genre.

Red Indian wrote:

Will the reader discover in "Blood and Ashes" how he got his limp?

Absolutely...in the first two pages, as a matter of fact.

Red Indian wrote:

Do you reveal any of his background in the debut, or will that come to light as the stories progress?

I think so...but it will be a very gradual thing. Jade isn't one to talk about himself much, and there's a lot he still hasn't told me, but he's definitely got a chip on his shoulder. In B&A we learn of three different careers he either had or tried before becoming a P.I....

mrbond wrote:

I think it would be intresting to see him progress as a character throughout the novels. Each could reveal something about his past?

Very possibly He's still a relatively young man when we meet him in B&A, but I get the feeling he's had a lot of disappointment and tragedy...and some of it is bound to tie into whatever situations in which he'll find himself.

Pendragon wrote:

love that line!

Thanks Pen! That came to me pretty quickly---unusually so. I'm still wrestling with possible titles for the piece, though.

Loeffelholz

Well, it's been sent off to Erin (my editor) for one last 'formatting sweep,' then I'm uploading to my publisher. It's funny how much agony is involved in letting go. I'm reminded of dropping my first son off for preschool, for the first time.

I can't make it Hemingway or Faulkner from here. The little tyke will walk or fall on his own.

Looks like June 2010 for a release timeframe. Much later than I'd hoped. But I hope everyone enjoys it.

RogueAgent

Loeffelholz wrote:

Loeffelholz wrote:

All right, everyone...here's the cover art for Blood & Ashes---made public for the first time on ajb007.co.uk...


By loeffelholz at 2010-03-10

Cover Art Copyright 2010 by Daren Hatfield, used by permission. All rights reserved.

Bumping this to the current page, simply because I like looking at it...

OMG, Loeff, just seeing this and that cover looks great! Very noirish!

Congrats to you and darenhat both! {[]